Libya’s Haftar extradites militant wanted by Egypt to Cairo

Ashmawi arrives in Egypt chained and held by Egyptian Special Force soldiers. [Photo: Internet]

A prominent militant long sought by Egypt has been transferred to Cairo from Libya’s eastern region, Egyptian state television said.

Hisham Ashmawi was arrested by Khalifa Haftar’s forces late last year and was extradited to Egypt on Wednesday, the TV said.

Ashmawi is accused by Egypt of orchestrating a spate of deadly attacks against security forces. He was a former Special Forces officer.

His extradition came after a visit by Egypt’s intelligence chief Abbas Kamel to Libya where he met with Khalifa Haftar on Tuesday.

In 2017, an Egyptian court sentenced Ashmawi to death in connection with the killing of 22 soldiers in a deadly attack in southwestern Egypt in 2014. According to Egyptian media, Ashmawi is the leader of the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Murabitin group in Libya’s eastern city of Derna.